My Senior Year and it's Worries
by OCD Manga Geek
Summary: Transfer student from America comes to Sakura High and joins the track club. Beats Sakamoto in a race, and he falls for her.


10

_I realize that I suck. I don't know what to write for 'The Doll Master of Zero' and I can't really figure it out since I'm taking the ACT in a few days. This story has been sitting on my computer for about a year, so I decided I would post the first chapter then study. Well, enough of that. Here starts 'My Senior Year and It's Worries'._

_Any characters not from W Juliet are based off real people; however, the names have been changed to protect the innocent._

**I don't own W Juliet.**

My exchange trip is going slightly better than I thought it would. I'm not actually forgetting all the Japanese I learned. My host family is totally like my own family.

So my name is Rose Smith. I am spending my senior year in Japan. That means I get to run with the track program. I am so excited. I was one of the best 400 hurdlers in my school in America and I'm ready to prove myself in Japan. I'm staying with the Miura family and that is only slightly terrifying. Ito's father scared me so much the first time I saw him that I cowered behind Ito. Her brothers are just threatening. Right from the start, I claimed that I wouldn't be a person to do whatever they willed. At that announcement, Yuuto and Ryuuya both looked at Tatsuyoshi and asked him why he didn't stand up for himself like I did.

Ito lent me her uniform that she was supposed to be wearing. She took me to school, introduced me to Makoto, introduced me to the teachers and introduced me to the drama club. Makoto told me to call her Mako, and to ask her if anything Ito said didn't make sense. Ito told me about the school, where the stage is, where the bathrooms are, where the changing room for the drama club is, but not where the track things are. I was getting the distinct impression that she wanted me to join the drama club.

Walking out of the drama club changing room, I sling my bag over my shoulder. I had gotten new spikes just before I left but hadn't tried them out yet. Getting new shoes put me in such a running high that I just had to run. I wandered the campus, looking for the track or someone to help me when I bumped into him. He was tall, had black hair like everyone else, droopy eyes and a stupid look that seemed permanently stuck on his face.

I bow, "Ah. Sorry." As I get a better look at him, I see he is currently in what appears to be workout clothes. Remembering my quest to find the track, I try asking him. "Do you know where the track is?"

He currently seems to be lost for words. I don't really understand why he would be. I not super attractive and to be honest, I had no sense of what colors went together. I tended to throw whatever was on top of my workout clothes pile in my bag, not caring whether or not they went together. So currently in my bright, neon orange "Run Like You Stole Something" shirt and pink shorts, Ito had needed her athletic uniform so I had to ask the school for one and they hadn't gotten one to me yet, I was standing in front of this guy, while he was looking like whatever celebrity was popular right now asked him out. I was considering repeating my question when he finally managed to get out, "This way. Follow me."

We walk in silence for not even two minutes and there is the track. I was so close to finding it. I'm about to walk away when I remember that I should thank him. "Thank you for showing me where this is. I guess I'll be seeing you."

About to walk away again, he stops me. "My name is Yutaka Sakamoto; I was kind of hoping maybe we could hang out sometime…"

"Ah. Rose. Rose Smith. I'm currently part of an exchange program. I will be staying the year and returning back to my home in the US at the end of the year. I'm staying with the Miura family for the year. I would also like to get to know you better Sakamoto-san." I bowed and started to walk away. Ito had told me that Sakamoto was a terrible person but he didn't seem too bad.

Wandering around the track, I looked for the track advisor, Ms. Haiten. Ito said she was tall, but not as tall as me, and she had hair that was more brown than black, unlike most natives. I saw her over by the high jump and went to talk to her. "Ummm, Ms. Haiten?" She turned around. "My name is Rose Smith and I'm part of an exchange program and I would like to join the track and field club. Where can I put my things?"

Smiling at me she replies, "Well, we would love to have you on our team. Just put your stuff somewhere where you can find it and hide your valuables." I put my stuff down and walked back to Ms. Haiten. "What events are you interested in doing?"

"Well, in America, I ran the 400 meter hurdles and was one of the fastest in my school, so I was hoping to do that." I have always hated telling people I was the best in my school, even if I was. I hated bragging, so I always say I was one of the best, then I don't feel like I'm bragging.

"Ok. We'll take a time trial of you running them. Are you ready now or do you need a little warm up time?"

"I need to warm up a bit. I'll come find you when I'm ready." I set up some hurdles and start to do my drills when Sakamoto-san comes over. He watches me for a few minutes then walks off. Shrugging it off I finish my drills, go over a few hurdles and go to find Ms. Haiten.

"Ms. Haiten, I'm warmed up. Can I run the time trial now?"

Looking over at me, she nods. She tells the high jumpers something and they run off, she turns to me. "Sure. They went to set up hurdles. It should only take a minute." Just as she finished talking, one of the high jumpers ran back up to her.

Giving her a questioning look, she asks, "Why did you send us to set up hurdles when they are already set up?"

Surprised, I turn to the track, and sure enough, lane 3 had hurdles set up. When Ms. Haiten gave me a questioning look, I held up my hands and said, "I didn't do it. I just got a few out to warm up with."

Turning back to the high jumper, she told her, "You and the rest of the girls clear lane 3 and make sure there is a pair of blocks at the start." The girl ran off and Ms. Haiten and I began walking toward the start.

We were just about there when Sakamoto-san ran up. "Good luck on your time trial." With that, he ran off. Ms. Haiten and I shrugged it off and continued to the start line. I found my blocks and set them to my size. I climbed into them and looked down the track. I waited.

Ms. Haiten had gotten the wooden starter and called, "Ready. Set. GO!"

I took off. I was in the zone. People were on both sides of the lane cheering. I got around the first curve. I kept giving myself the standard pep talk I gave to myself every race. People were screaming. It was no longer a time trial; it was an actual race to me now. I finish the back straight away and come around the curve. The curves always seemed to take less time than they should. People who watch me always say that the curves are my slowest part. I'm coming off the curve onto the last straight away. People are screaming and cheering. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone in lane 4. Against my better judgment, I sneak a glance. There's Sakamoto-san, running right next to me. I become distracted and hit the next hurdle. I trip and hit the ground. But I'm taking this as a race. I remember what my dad always told me, "When you get to the last hundred meters, that's where you tell the person next to you, 'Here, hold my lunch. See you at the finish.' And that's where you take off away from them." Pushing myself off the ground, I take off after him. He's about ten meters ahead of me. I can pass him. I know it. I'm sprinting. I can tell I've become a little tired and slightly more careless because my feet are clipping more of the hurdles. I fix this and I feel myself go faster. He only has five meters on me. Four. Three. He's almost to the finish. Two. One. We're neck and neck. I inch just past him and cross the finish.

I slow down and turn back to him. He's at the finish, bending over, hands on his knees. "Good race." He tells me. I nod in reply.

"1:09?!"

My head jerks towards the coach's voice. 1:09? My fastest was only ever 1:12. She looks over at me and sees my astonishment.

"I figured you were fast, but, this is incredible. And you seem to have set a new record for yourself."

I'm exhausted but somehow still have the energy to jump for joy. A new record! I even fell! I'm so excited that I hug Sakamoto-san. Everyone goes quiet. When I pull away with a sheepish look on my face, Sakamoto-san appears about to faint. Everyone breaks out into laughter at Sakamoto's appearance. I turn to the coach and she tells me to put away the hurdles and head on home. I had done enough for the day.

We just leave Sakamoto-san in the middle of the track in his daze. I go about putting the hurdles away and just as I finish, Sakamoto-san comes to his senses, and Ito appears, of course with Mako in tow. I run to grab my bag and go to meet them. Just as I am getting up to them, Sakamoto-san reaches us.

"ITO-SAN!" Ito goes on guard in case he is going to glomp her, "You would not BELIEVE what Rose ran today!" Sakamoto-san started, with way too much energy for someone who was dead to the world just moments ago. "She ran the 400 meter hurdles and she raced me for the last 100 meters and she beat me! She beat me! And she even fell. I had a head start and she beat me." Ito was looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Rose-san," Mako started, "is that really true?" She was truly astonished. Sakamoto-san must be really fast.

"Sure is. Set a new record for myself as well. It was crazy. He was the entire reason I fell though. He distracted me."

"You know in the race you're going to have people running beside you."

"Yes. But they are supposed to be there and I will be expecting them to be there. You, I was not expecting." Turning back to Ito and Mako I continue to walk with them.

"Ito-san, you know what else." Apparently, Sakamoto-san was still there. "I won't be chasing after you and Mako-chan anymore."

Now this was a surprise. I could see that Ito was just about to open her mouth to ask what the catch is, but he wasn't done talking.

"Nope. Now I will be chasing Rose-san." I had stopped walking. "She is the first girl to ever beat me in a hundred meters."

Ito and Mako both stopped too. We were speechless and Sakamoto was clueless. Must be associated with the permanently stupid look stuck on his face. I could feel the heat from my blush creeping up my face. Totally embarrassed, I took off running for the Miura house. I could hear Sakamoto chasing after me but I was faster than him. That morning when we walked to school, I memorized all the turns so I would be able to make it home without Ito if needed. I saw their gate come into view. I sprinted onto the grounds and slowed down to walk into the house. I took off my shoes and slipped into the house slippers.

Yuuto was in the kitchen. "You can take a bath if you want." I nodded in affirmation and continued on my way. I set my bag down in Ito's room and got my things together for a bath. I walked down the hall to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I began running the water and testing the temperature. The tub became full and I climbed in. I washed myself off and began thinking about what Sakamoto had said. I can feel my blush returning. I decide that I was done thinking about that so I got out of the tub and got dressed. I was about to drain the tub when I heard a knock on the door.

I crack the door open, "Yes?" Ito is standing there.

"You want to talk?"

"Not really. I've decided that I will push it from my mind and never think of it again."

"You won't be able to do that forever. It will work when we are here, but when you're near him it'll keep returning to your mind." Ito tells me.

"What will keep returning to my mind?" Ito had never heard the scarring things that my brother had told me. They got so numerous that I became an expert at blocking unwanted information from my mind.

"That- Never mind." She knew that if I wanted to remember it, I would. "Are you going to drain the bath?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I was just about to when you knocked on the door." I drain the bath, gather my stuff and Ito and I return to her room. Setting my stuff down I notice something I hadn't before. It was a picture of Ito and a guy. The strange thing was that the guy looked strikingly like Mako-chan. Standing back up, I ask Ito about it. "Hey Ito, who's this a picture of? He looks a lot like Mako-chan."

I'm looking down at the picture so I miss Ito pale. "Umm. Well. It's kind of a secret and not really my place to tell it. I'll take you to Mako-chan's and maybe she can explain."

"Ok." I turn around and pick up my socks. I try to put them on and walk at the same time. Not a good idea. I topple over and nearly smack my head on the floor. Ito rushes over to make sure I'm alright. I'm totally fine. No broken bones, no concussion. Just a bruised shoulder. I take off my shirt to check my shoulder to make sure I didn't dislocate it and Yuuto and Ryuuya rushed to Ito's room when they heard the crash. They find me sitting on the floor in my sports bra checking my shoulder. They quickly apologize and leave. I hear them tell Tatsuyoshi that its fine and he should go do something else. I felt kind of bad that I embarrassed them, but it didn't faze me. My older brother walked in on me so many times and even though I've only been around the Miura's for a day, they already felt like family. I slipped my shirt back on and we set off for Mako's.

Ito is rather silent on the way there and I'm completely fine with that. I decided to think about who the mystery man could be. Before long, we got to Mako's apartment. Ito knocks on the door and a girl with short hair lets us in. Ito introduces her as Akane, Mako's sister. We walk into the living room and there's the mystery man. I'm wondering if he is Mako's brother when he introduces himself as Makoto Narita. I'm distinctly remembering that Mako's last name is Amano. I turn to Ito and give her a questioning look.

"This is Mako. He wants to be an actor and the only way he can do that is if he finishes high school as a girl. I know and you know. Everyone else thinks he's a girl. Except for the Iizuka siblings. They're another story though. Akane has helped and his other sister, Tsubaki, found out I knew but didn't tell their father for whatever reason. So he only has to make it one more year. We can't tell anyone or let anything slip." Ito summed it all up and I was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe he was so devoted to being an actor that he would go to school as a girl to follow his dream.

I saw them all staring at me, "I won't let anything slip. I promise." They all visibly relaxed. "But tell me about these Iizuka siblings."

"Takashi and Takayo Iizuka." Mako answered, "Takashi is our age and Takayo is a year younger than us. Takayo is my betrothed and if I become an actor, she is willing to let the betrothal go. Takashi isn't so forgiving."

"He has a sister complex." Ito pipes in.

"He does. He will do anything to get me revealed and has almost had it happen. His sister told she would hate him if he interfered anymore and he almost died. We haven't heard from him since." Mako summed up.

"Hmmm. He seems like a slinky person." I mused.

"Slinky person? I doubt it. The only thing he likes is making Mako's life difficult." Ito stated.

"No, no. Not someone who likes slinkies. I mean he's like a slinky. Some people are like slinkies. It's fun to watch them fall down the stairs." I stated calmly.

Ito and Mako burst out laughing. Akane thought that it would be mean to laugh at someone falling down the stairs. I didn't have to deny her this time. Mako calmed her down by saying, "Anyone else and that would be true. But this is Takashi Iizuka. Him falling down the stairs would be hilarious. And then he would have the chance to bounce back from it like a slinky."

We had a good laugh about Takashi Iizuka falling down the stairs before I asked some clarifying questions on Mako's disguise. "So, Sakamoto-san thinks you're a girl?" Mako slowly nodded, not sure where I was going with my question. "And he's seen you in guy clothes and didn't make the connection that you are the same person?" Again, he nodded. "Yes! This is going to be so great!"

They all looked worried and I took on an evil grin. Ito's phone rang and she excused herself to answer it. I explained my plan and Mako and Akane became more and more worried. Mako said he would try to help, but not too sure how it would work. I said not to worry. If we flew this guy to Japan, he would be able to help me get rid of Sakamoto. Akane thought my plan was a bad idea and that we shouldn't fool with love. I reassured her that Sakamoto wasn't in love; he was just impressed with me. Akane clarified.

"No. Not Sakamoto-san. This guy we are bringing over. He loves you. We shouldn't get him mixed up in this. Sakamoto-san doesn't seem the type to give up. He would just get jealous."

I conceded. Mako let out a sigh of relief. I decided I would deal with Sakamoto-san some other way. Ito was walking back into the room and said that we should get home; Yuuto had supper ready and was waiting for us. We bid Akane and Mako goodbye, and told Mako we would see him tomorrow.

When we got home, I took one bite of Yuuto's cooking and practically melted. If I was gone from civilization and had one thing I could eat when I came back, it would be something Yuuto made. I learned at that dinner that only Yuuto could cook; Ito, Ryuuya and Tatsuyoshi couldn't cook worth crap. I told him that I could cook the bare essentials, but not much more than that. He promised that he would teach me to cook more when he had time. I thanked him in advance and when a yawn escaped, I realized that I should go to bed before I fell asleep at the table. Politely excusing myself, I go to Ito's room and pass out as soon as my head hits the pillow.

(Scene break)

I'm walking to school, at least I'm assuming its school because I have my bag, and next to me is Sakamoto-san, holding my hand. At that moment, I knew I was dreaming, and by now, I had figured it was going to be one of my weird ones.

So, we are walking to school and holding hands. I try to pull my hand from his but I don't have control of my body. It's like I'm a spirit watching from outside my body, but also experiencing everything dream me is experiencing. I have a huge grin on my face and so does Sakamoto-san. I start listening to what we are saying, and immediately wish I was deaf.

"I love you, Rose."

"I love you, too, Yutaka."

I clap my hands over my ears, but that doesn't work. I can hear every word of sweetness Sakamoto-san tells me. It makes me want to barf from the sweetness. I just now realized though, that we aren't wearing the Sakura High uniforms, we are wearing more casual clothes and we look older. I then remember something my parents had told me, "Assuming makes an ass out of you and me." I realize then, that we are in college, or at least I am. From what Ito has told me, Sakamoto-san is a terrible student. He comes in at lunch and sleeps through class. Though from where this dream is going, I figured I must have turned him around, because we were both walking into what appeared to be a history class.

Dream me sits down in the front and Sakamoto-san sits beside me grudgingly. It appears that I have made him a better student, but he still wants to sit in the back. I look forward, away from my dream version and see if I can learn anything. The professor begins to teach about World War II and spirit me groans. Dream me begins to take notes while Sakamoto-san appears to begin to drift off. The professor sees this and carelessly chucks a piece of chalk at Sakamoto-san. This must be why dream me chose the front. The chalk connects with his elbow and it slides out from under him. His chin hits the table and he jolts awake. Any other sleeper probably also woke up due to the enormous bang from his chin connecting with the table. Sakamoto-san looks to me for sympathy but all he gets is dream me diligently taking notes on what the professor is teaching about.

Spirit me continues to pay attention to the lecture, wondering when it will be over, when the professor finally wraps up his teaching and walks out. I float above dream me and wonder what is next. Looking at Sakamoto-san, I see he fell asleep as soon as the professor was done. Dream me has no compassion for him and just pushes his elbow out from under him again. He has learned what it feels like for his head to be obeying gravity and hurtling towards the desk, and wakes up just in time to stop his chin from hitting the table. It only took him falling asleep in class no less than six times.

We head of to another history class only this one is about the Cold War. Sakamoto-san only falls asleep four times in this class and the professor is a little less brutal about waking people up. He has a huge textbook that he drops on the table next to them to wake them up. After class ends, Sakamoto-san falls asleep as soon as the professor walks out while dream me packs up her notes. Dream me wakes him up the same she did as after the first class and begins to walk out.

We go to some restaurant and meet up with Ito and Mako in guy clothes for lunch. They are both actors and their first show is in two weeks. After lunch, we wave goodbye to them and Sakamoto-san heads off to work, not before kissing dream me, and dream me heads off to another class. This one appears to be Japanese Literature, ooh, fun. After an hour, the class is over and dream me heads off to another class. Dream me walks in the room and the professor is an English teacher I had in 10th grade. Looking at the board, in English, it says, 'English Literature' and underneath that, 'Professor Watson'

Dream me goes over and greets him. Dream me and Professor Watson talk until the class starts and dream me again sits in the front row. This class is interesting. Professor Watson is making jokes and the class is laughing. In the previous classes, the professors were just throwing information at the students. Professor Watson was making analogies to current times and making the information understandable.

The class ends and the students all want to stay and talk with the professor. They ask him lots of questions and when they all leave, dream me stands and goes to talk with him. English Literature was his last class so they go to a nearby café and get coffee. How I ever learned to like coffee eluded me. I listened to them talk. Watson was still single and he said he learned Japanese the year after I had him as a teacher. He worked on his doctorate after finishing his masters and moved to Japan to teach at a college. I was wondering how he finished his doctorate so quickly when he said that he almost never slept and his students were always waking him up in class.

Dream me and Professor Watson were laughing about him always saying, 'Rolling up the beating sleeves,' in class. Or when the computer had the background of him teaching. Sakamoto-san showed up and found dream me and Professor Watson laughing about the times when he would always end up hearing part of my conversation with Else and Annie and how weird he thought they were. Sakamoto-san sneaked a kiss on dream me again before dream me noticed him. Dream me introduced him to Professor Watson, who politely excused himself, saying he had to grade papers.

Spirit me is gone and now I can only see through the eyes of dream me. Sakamoto-san and I returned to our apartment, ugh, that sounded so wrong, and I fix us dinner. It seems Yuuto got to teach me how to cook. Sakamoto-san sticks his arms around my waist and starts tickling my sides. I begin to giggle and try to squirm out of Sakamoto-san's reach.

I finally gasps out, "S-stop. I can't cook while you're tickling me." Sakamoto-san stops and I return to cooking.

After dinner, we are sitting on the couch together; me doing homework and Sakamoto-san sleeping, when Sakamoto-san wakes up. He jumps up and runs to his room, calling back, "I'll be right back."

I remain sitting on the couch, continuing to do homework, when Sakamoto-san returns and kneels down in front of me. I glance up and see him holding an open ring box with a beautiful diamond ring. I gasp and he proposes. "Rose, you are the most important person in my life. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Rose, will you marry me?"

I can't get any words out. I burst out crying and just hug him. I'm glad he didn't ask me in public, because now my makeup was running. Sakamoto-san puts the ring on my finger and giggle happily. I finish my homework while holding his hand and we go to sleep holding hands.

(Scene break)

I wake up in Ito's room. The sun is creeping in the window and Ito is stirring in her sleep next to me. I shake her awake and begin to cry on her shoulder. She tries to comfort me but sobs are racking my body.

Yuuto and Ryuuya rush into the room, "We heard crying, is-" They stop when they see me crying. Ito shoos them away and continues to comfort me.

When I calm down, Ito carefully broaches the topic, "Are you okay?" I nod; my mouth isn't working right now. "Are you homesick?" I shake my head no. "Ok. Was it because of a dream?" I nod again. "Do you want to talk about it?" I shake my head no, then nod, then start crying again.

I finally manage to get out, "My subconscious hates me."

Ito continues to comfort me, but she gets up to talk to her brothers real quick, "I think she needs to stay home. I'll stay with her. She needs someone." Ryuuya tries to protest that he would be home, but Ito quickly silences him. "She needs a girl. Someone who she can pour her feelings out to and have them understand." Ryuuya and Yuuto grudgingly agree and Yuuto goes to call the school about Ito and me staying home.

I lay around until noon. I finally feel confident that I can tell Ito about my dream without crying.

I walk down to the kitchen and find, not Ito, but Sakamoto-san sitting in a suit with a bundle of roses. I feel the tears welling up as he comes to give the roses to me. When he nears me, I wind up and punch him in the face. I run off to Ito's room and pass her coming from the bathroom. Seeing my look of mortification, she rushes to the kitchen, and unceremoniously, kicks Sakamoto-san out. She rushes back to her room and begins to comfort me again. She gets me to calm down and I decide that I need to tell her about my dream, knowing I was going to cry.

I finish telling her my dream in about half an hour. She understands the inner turmoil I have over this dream. She doesn't tell me anything mean or encourage me to date him; she just acknowledges my dream and tells me it was just that, a dream. I feel better and manage to survive the rest of the day. Around 5 o'clock, Mako comes to see Ito and she explains my inner turmoil and Mako gives me a hug before leaving, saying he had to meet with Akane.

Yuuto and Tatsuyoshi come home and Ryuuya returns from the dojo. When Tatsuyoshi comes in, he surprises Ito and me with someone. Apparently, Sakamoto-san waited outside until Ito let him back in. He said he saw Mako come and leave, but she wouldn't tell him about me. All he really wanted was to see me happy so he apologized for whatever he did to make me cry. I accepted his apology and he left, without a word. When he was almost off the grounds. Yuuto ran to the door to ask if he would like to have dinner with them. He gladly accepted, but ran home to change first.

I helped Yuuto make dinner and we enjoyed it greatly. I even learned a little something. When Sakamoto-san returned, we all sat down to eat. I made sure to sit on the same side of the table as him and asked Yuuto to kindly sit between us. That way I wouldn't have to look at him. We greatly enjoyed dinner and Yuuto said I was a great cook. I thanked him, and Sakamoto-san thanked the family for having him over. He left and called out behind him, "See you tomorrow at school!" I waved goodbye and smiled.

I took a bath and thought about the dream. My subconscious really did hate me. I finished my bath, climbed into bed and fell asleep wondering what tonight's dream would be.

_Chapter 1 down! So I started this thinking, "Eh. One-shot. I can do that." Then I got to talking about the Iizuka siblings and realized that there was no way it was going to be a one-shot. So, I've decided that I will be giving you guys an interesting fact about myself at the end of the chapters of this fic. Don't look on other fics that may or may not be up yet. It will only be this one. So, interesting fact number one! I hate writing papers, but I'm really good at it. I didn't even try on my last English paper. I got it back and the first page had all these marks on it and my first thought was, "Great. I failed my paper." Then I looked at it and I got an A and my English teacher loved it._


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